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Two pressures are measured for a blood pressure reading 1  : Systolic blood pressure is a measure of blood pressure while the heart is beating. 2  Diastolic pressure is a measure of blood pressure while the heart is relaxed.
Systolic blood pressure is the top number when reading blood pressure levels, and generally doctors recommend it be below 140. End-diastolic volume is the amount of blood left in the heart, or specific ventricle, when the relaxation phase is completed. Diastolic pressure is the resting force of blood within blood vessels. A blood pressure reading measures both the systolic and diastolic pressures.